Elk herd to benefit from DNR acquistion

Thursday

Oct 3, 2013 at 11:39 PM

The DNR has had a long relationship with the elk foundation in the area, and RMEF members often volunteer in the forest doing habitat work, according to Whitcomb. The PRC State Forest is home to the largest free-roaming elk herd in the Great Lakes Region. The DNR maintains the 105,049 acre forest through forest and wildlife management with a focus on aspen management for winter elk food. The 32 acre parcel lies with the heart of the DNR elk management area and is located near one of the DNR's best public elk viewing areas.

Brady Hebert

By BRADY HEBERTbhebert@cheboygantribune.comATLANTA — The Michigan Department of Natural Resources, DNR, teamed up with the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, RMEF, to acquire and permanently protect 32 acres of prime elk habitat within the Pigeon River Country State Forest, PRC. The parcel was an inholding of private property within the PRC forest,and was surrounded by public land. "The owner of the land wanted to subdivide the land and have small cabins there, which would have negatively affected the elk in the area," PRC unit manager Scott Witcomb said. The RMEF obtained the option for the land, and the DNR then completed the purchase of the parcel from the private landholder on Sept. 26. "It was a win win situation. … The area is well used by the elk in the the area and it is very important to protect it," Witcomb said.The DNR has had a long relationship with the elk foundation in the area, and RMEF members often volunteer in the forest doing habitat work, according to Whitcomb. The PRC State Forest is home to the largest free-roaming elk herd in the Great Lakes Region. The DNR maintains the 105,049 acre forest through forest and wildlife management with a focus on aspen management for winter elk food. The 32 acre parcel lies with the heart of the DNR elk management area and is located near one of the DNR's best public elk viewing areas. The RMEF is a nonprofit conservation organization that has protected or enhanced habitat on over 6.3 million acres. It has carried out seven land protection projects that permanently conserved more than 3,200 acres of Michigan elk habitat since 1993.